


Dorian Takes A Bath

by sallyamongpoison



Series: Da Capo: The Full Score [10]
Category: Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Absurd amounts of fluff, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Cullen's being sweet and goofy, M/M, Naked Men, References to Other Works
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-30
Updated: 2016-04-30
Packaged: 2018-06-05 13:25:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,464
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6706147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sallyamongpoison/pseuds/sallyamongpoison
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which Dorian relaxes in a warm bath after a long day, but it seems Cullen has other (very sweet ideas).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dorian Takes A Bath

**Author's Note:**

> Song lyrics used: Throw Your Arms Around Me (by Eddie Vedder and Neil Finn)

Maker, but it was freezing. Ferelden in winter, even after this long, was still hard on Dorian. His blood was entirely too thin to handle the snow and ice, and even with many layers (both of his own and a few stolen from Cullen) the wind cut through him like a knife. It wasn’t as though he had to walk far in coming home from or going to work, but even that with the slush and snow and wind was enough to make him a shivering wreck by the time he got in the door.

Cullen, of course, helped with that. He’d curl in close, hold Dorian’s hands until they warmed from the man’s body heat, but sometimes even that was enough to make him feel completely warmed through. Emotionally, sure, which was probably the more important thing but Dorian couldn’t quite quell the shivers through love alone. Would that he could, though. It was those kinds of nights that he’d do his usual bath ritual:

Hot, hot water, scented bubbles and soap, a glass of red close to hand, and candles on every surface. Dorian loved candles, loved how the room felt and looked when it was dark save for flickering flames that somehow made the heady scent of the soap and bubbles that much more pronounced. The whole flat would be perfumed once he got out, which was never a bad thing, too.

He settled in, breathed deeply, and just let himself relax. The hot water soaked into him, warmed his bones, and Dorian couldn’t have been happier. Well, no, that was a lie. He’d be happier in a few weeks when they were moved into their new house that had  tub twice the size of this one where he and Cullen could share were they so inclined. The only thing that would have made a bath like this better would be his husband there with him. Dorian could see it now- them curled up together with Cullen’s strong hands working on his shoulders or maybe even rubbing his feet, and it was bliss. Their new life would be bliss, he was certain of that.

A low groan escaped him, he grabbed up one burgundy washcloth that they’d bought way back when they’d moved in together, then folded it up so he could lay it over his eyes. Yes. This was what he needed. The bubbles and the hot water lapped at his skin, and he relaxed completely. If only he could float in this tub. One day, though. Soon.

A while later, Dorian wasn’t sure how long, and a soft knock came to the door. Cullen still knocked though they’d been married over a year and had been together three before that. Bless the man.

“I’d ask if you’re decent, but I know what your answer’s going to be,” was the prompting from behind the door, and Dorian chuckled.

He didn’t pull the washcloth off his eyes, but he did sit up a little, “Is that your way of asking if you can come in?” Dorian teased.

The sound of the door opening hit his ears, and then Cullen padding barefoot across the tiles, “You look cozy.”

“I am very cozy, yes.”

“Care for a bit of mood music?” Cullen asked, and now that he listened a bit more he could hear the telltale sound of his husband’s guitar. Dorian never tired of when Cullen would play for him, and while he was sitting in the bath was a new one, he was no stranger to Cullen coming in after he’d been dozing in the morning or hunched over his work laptop with the promise of a song. It warmed his heart to this day, and he smiled to himself as he heard Cullen get settled.

Dorian swept a bubble covered hand over his leg, and he nodded, “I’d love it,” he answered with a sigh.

There was a pause, then a laugh, and Dorian smiled to himself. Cullen was so sweet, sweeter than Dorian thought he deserved sometime, and as he listened to Cullen pluck a few strings that rang clearer than usual…that had to mean he was using the pick Dorian had given him their first Midwinter when they’d moved in together. Cullen had turned it into a pendant so he could wear it and keep it close, but he did still play with it from time to time. When he did, it made Dorian’s insides melt a bit.

Then he was playing. It seemed more now that Cullen would play things that he was working on at the studio, but every so often Dorian would hear him plucking away at something of his own that sometimes still came out when he would play with Harding and the others at the bar. When that still happened. This was one of those, written not long after they’d mended things, and Dorian sank further into the hot water as he listened.

_And I’ll shout it to the blue summer sky_  
_And we may never meet again_  
_So shed your skin and let’s get started  
_ _And you will throw your arms around me_

This was one of Dorian’s favorites. He’d loved it as much as he loved Cullen, and whenever the man sang it when they were out Dorian always knew Cullen’s eyes searched for his. It made his heart ache in the best way, and he smiled to himself as he listened. He knew Cullen could see that smile, and he lost himself in Cullen’s beautiful voice that had touched him in all the right ways from the very first time he’d heard him. Was it cliche to love his husband’s singing voice more than anyone else’s? Was it even more cheesy and romantic to have the playlist Cullen had given him that first Midwinter as his most played on his phone when he needed something?

Maybe it was, but Dorian had finally started to accept his sentimental side. Cullen dragged it out of him, made him love it, and when he did show it there was always that look of happiness and love written on the other man’s face.

When the song ended, Dorian turned his head to the side to face the bathroom, and he lifted his hand to pull the washcloth away. Immediately he took in his husband’s face, full of love and…was that a bit of mischief there? Cullen was smiling, _smirking_ , but it was so sweet. The sweetness always seemed to win out, especially when he played for Dorian, but that look was priceless. Those amber eyes filled with so much love and happiness made Dorian feel so cared for, but that edge there was something else altogether.

“You know me too well, you know?” Dorian teased, “singing me that after a long day.”

“It must have been a long one.”

One eyebrow cocked and Dorian sat up a bit. The low light was beautiful, but it did make it just a bit hard to see that…Oh, for the Maker’s sake. Dorian pressed his lips together as he took in his husband, leaned back against the counter with his guitar slung low over his hips. That was unusual. But then…candlelight. Yellow and orange licks of light moving across smooth skin from Cullen’s shoulders and _lower_.

Only the guitar. Cullen was, at least for all Dorian could see, wearing _just_ the guitar.

“Saying I’m not observant, then?” he teased as he sat up a bit more and folded his arms over the edge of the tub so he could look up at Cullen through thick lashes. Like that, ridiculous as it was, Cullen was so beautiful.

Cullen shook his head, which sent a few stray curls across his forehead as he grinned, “Me? No. Just waiting to see how long it would take you.” That smirk was growing, and Dorian bit a little at his lower lip as he took in the sight. The man was perfection in his sometimes-goofiness that made Dorian love him all the more.

“You know the tub won’t fit both of us.”

“I was sort of hoping you’d want to get warm in the bedroom instead,” Cullen pointed out, “like it wasn’t obvious.”

“I really want a picture of this.”

Cullen grinned and pulled the guitar strap from his shoulder so he could pull it away. He was deliciously naked, as Dorian had suspected, and he bent over the tub to kiss at Dorian’s hair, “I promised you a private show once upon a time, remember?”

“And this _is_ the private show I was hoping for,” Dorian teased as he started to get to his feet with Cullen’s hand for support on the slippery porcelain.

It would be remiss to say that, later, Dorian asked for _several_ encores.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on tumblr! @sallyamongpoison


End file.
